NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 29, 2023) – Nashville Soccer Club earned a 3-1 victory over Major League Soccer rival Atlanta United FC on Saturday afternoon in front of 28,793 fans at GEODIS Park.
Winger Fafà Picault opened the scoring off a corner kick in the 36th minute [WATCH]. Coming into the second half, Teal Bunbury scored the insurance goal for Nashville off a rebound [WATCH] and Jacob Shaffelburg put the nail in the coffin after notching his third goal of the season in stoppage time, tying Hany Mukhtar for the team-lead [WATCH].
The Streak Continues: With the 3-1 victory today, Nashville SC has not lost to Atlanta in its last seven matches across all competitions, (4W-0L-3D), dating back to Aug. 22, 2020. Nashville has out-scored the visitors 15-9 in that span.
Mukhtar the Magnificent: Reigning MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar continued his dominance over Atlanta United FC on Saturday with a pair of assists. Mukhtar has 13 goal contributions (6 Goals + 7 Assists) in nine matches across all competitions against Atlanta and has recorded a goal or assist in seven consecutive matches against them since Sept. 12, 2020.
Spread The Wealth: Teal Bunbury scored his first goal of the season and 70th in his career. Nashville has seen 12 different goal scorers against Atlanta United FC in MLS series history (Anibaba, Badji, Bunbury, Danladi, Leal, McCarty, Mukhtar, Picault, Ríos, Sapong, Shaffelburg, Zimmerman).
Next Match: Nashville SC’s next match will see the Boys in Gold take on Chicago Fire FC at GEODIS Park on Saturday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. CT. The match will be televised on the MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV App. Tickets are available by visiting www.NashvilleSC.com/Tickets.
Match Timeline:
NSH 36’: Hany Mukhtar services a corner to find Walker Zimmerman, who deflects the ball to Fafà Picault for the goal
NSH 56’: Teal Bunbury finds the ball at his feet inside the six-yard box and sends it to the back of the net
ATL 72’: Thiago Almada is good from the spot after VAR awards a penalty kick to Atlanta United FC
NSH 90 +1’: Hany Mukhtar connects with Jacob Shaffelburg as he streaks towards the goal and angles the ball past the goalkeeper
Notes:
- Nashville SC:
- has allowed the fewest goals in MLS with six (also, LAFC)
- has not lost since Aug. 8, 2021 when scoring first
- owns a 4W-0L-1D record this season and a 34W-4L-15D record historically when scoring first
- owns a 28W-1L-8D record when scoring two or more goals
- owns a 13W-1L-0D record when scoring three or more in a match
- has not conceded a first half goal in nine of 10 matches, leading the league
- has allowed just three goals at GEODIS Park this season
- conceded its first penalty of the season
- vs. next MLS opponent: Chicago Fire FC
- will face Chicago Fire FC for the first of two meetings this season
- has never lost to Chicago Fire FC
- owns a 1W-0L-2D record against Chicago Fire FC
- has hosted Chicago Fire FC twice in series history, but MLS Week 11 will mark the first meeting of the two teams in GEODIS Park
- Teal Bunbury made his 347th career regular season appearance
- Ján Gregušmade his 95th career regular season appearance
- Dax McCarty made his 448th career regular season appearance and 401st career regular season start
- Hany Mukhtar
- finished week 10 with three goals and five assists, in comparison to his 2022 MLS Landon Donovan Most Valuable Player showing in 2022, where he ended week 10 with two goals and four assists
- has scored or assisted in three consecutive MLS matches
- has contributed to 78 of Nashville SC’s total 142 goals in club history
- Alex Muyl made his 200th career regular season appearance
- Jacob Shaffelburg recorded his third goal of the season, tying him with Hany Mukhtar to lead Nashville SC
- Joe Willis
- sits at third in the league with 34 saves at the end of the match (also, Roman Bürki of STL)
- is one regular season starts shy of becoming the first Nashville SC player to reach 100 MLS appearances
- Walker Zimmerman recorded his first assist of the season
Box Score:
Nashville SC (4W-3L-3D, 15 pts.) vs. Atlanta United FC (5W-2L-3D,18 pts.)
April 29, 2023 – GEODIS Park
Final Score
NSH: 3
ATL: 1
Scoring Summary
NSH: Fafà Picault (A: Walker Zimmerman & Hany Mukhtar) 36’
NSH: Teal Bunbury 56’
ATL: Thiago Almada (Penalty) 72’
NSH: Jacob Shaffelburg (A: Hany Mukhtar) 90 + 1’
Discipline
ATL: Brooks Lennon (caution) 35’
NSC: Alex Muyl (caution) 48’
ATL: Juan Jose Purata (caution) 87’
ATL: Santiago Sosa (caution) 90 + 4’
Lineups:
NSH Starters: Joe Willis; Dan Lovitz, Jack Maher, Shaq Moore, Walker Zimmerman (C); Dax McCarty (Ján Greguš, 82’), Hany Mukhtar, Teal Bunbury (Jacob Shaffelburg, 63’), Alex Muyl (Taylor Washington, 77’), Aníbal Godoy (Tah Brian Anunga, 77’); Fafà Picault (Luke Haakenson, 82’)
Substitutes: Ethan Zubak, Laurence Wyke, Josh Bauer, Elliot Panicco
ATL Starters: Clement Diop; Brooks Lennon, Miles Robinson (C), Andrew Gutman, Juan Jose Purata, Caleb Wiley (Amar Sejdic, 89’); Santiago Sosa, Luis Araujo (Derrick Etienne Jr., 59’), Matheus Rossetto (Luis Abram, 89’), Thiago Almada, Machop Chol (Miguel Berry, 59’)
Substitutes: Ronald Hernandez, Franco Ibarra, Tyler Wolff, Jay Fortune, Vicente Reyes
Referee: Joe Dickerson
Ar1: Lyes Arfa
Ar2: Jeffrey Swartzel
4th Official: Rubiel Vazquez
VAR: Younes Marrakchia
AVAR: Gjovalin Bori
Attendance: 28,793
Weather: Clear, 72 Degrees
